Page 62 of Under an Endless Moon

“But why do you have it?” she asked with a quirk of her brow. “I thought you take your coffee black?”

Like a fool, I reached out and touched that little freckle near her left lip. “Keep it in case you drop by.”

I wondered how much that revealed. Because softness instantlyinfiltrated the playfulness, affection ridging that stunning, striking face as she gazed up at me.

Clearing my throat, I stepped back. “You heard from your brother?”

She rolled her eyes. “He only texted me twenty-five times.”

A light chuckle rolled out of me as I drove my fingers through my still damp hair. “Think I’m going to go have a chat with him. Let him know you might be staying with me for a bit.”

She doused her coffee with the cream and stirred it as she glanced my way. “I want to be the one who tells him I’m moving out.”

“Ah, I see your chicken tendencies are waning.”

With a giggle, she swatted at me. “What are you talking about? I’m as brave as they come.”

Yeah, she was.

“What time do you need to get to the shop? I’ll be sure to get back in time to give you a ride.”

“I need to be there for my morning delivery at eight.”

“That works. I’ll be back in a split,” I promised her.

“I’ll be ready.”

TWENTY

OTTO

The secondI killed the engine on my bike, Nolan came running out the front door. No doubt, he’d heard me coming.

My smile was a mile fuckin’ wide when I swung off and he barreled down the steps and came bounding toward me.

Blond curls bouncing around his freckled, cherub face.

“Uncle Otto! Did you come to see me?”

“I sure did,” I told him as I swooped him off his feet and tossed him into the air. He howled with laughter as he flew, and I caught him and pulled him into a tight hug against me.

Love went skittering through. My adoration for this kid so fierce he made my damned heart ache. River was a lucky motherfucker that he got to have this kid in his life. That he got to have a love this great.

None of that shit was meant for me, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t appreciate it for my brother.

“I’ve been missing my favorite little tot,” I told him.

He gave me a confused scowl. “I’m not a tater tot, Uncle!”

Rough amusement rolled through me as I set him on his feet and ruffled my fingers through his hair. “Nah, you’re pretty much a man these days, aren’t you?”

“That’s right. I’m going to be starting kindergarten next week.”

“What?” I asked him aghast, like I’d completely missed him going on about it for the entire summer.

Giggles erupted from him as he trotted along at my side as we headed toward the house. “You’re just teasin’, Uncle Otto. I already showed you my new backpack and lunch pail. They both have got Jake and the Neverland Pirates on them…our favorite show, remember?”

“Course, I remember. Just teasin’ you. Think it means I might be jealous you got all that cool new stuff.”

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